Racism, discrimination and violence against any group should not be tolerated. For that reason, I was disappointed that your article failed to mention the violence that the pro-Palestine protesters have experienced at the Bathurst and Sheppard protests. For example, Gabriela Bodiz and Eli Schwartz were both arrested and charged with assault with a weapon in November, 2025.
Dear Ms. Hutchings and Mr. Roberts,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) regarding the article, Five more arrested over antisemitic signs displayed during March protest: Toronto police by Ellie Hutchings that was published on June 1, 2026.
The article states that “Protests have occurred regularly in the Bathurst and Sheppard area since shortly after the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas in 2023." Given the headline and the content of the article readers would assume that the protests you are referring to are the pro-Palestinian protests. In actual fact, it is the pro-Israel protests that have been occurring since October 13, 2023. The pro-Palestinian protesters started showing up at that intersection over a year after the pro-Israel protests started.
Racism, discrimination and violence against any group should not be tolerated. For that reason, I was disappointed that your article failed to mention the violence that the pro-Palestine protesters have experienced at the Bathurst and Sheppard protests. For example, Gabriela Bodiz and Eli Schwartz were both arrested and charged with assault with a weapon in November, 2025.
Without providing the facts for both the pro-Israel and the pro-Palestine protests at that particular intersection, readers are left with an incomplete and very one-sided understanding.
I urge your newsroom work to ensure that future coverage includes a more balanced and accurate description of the protests.
Sincerely,
Debbie Hubbard
Kelowna, B.C.